McNamara continues weight-loss quest

A desire to cut down weight, a new drug and a new, balanced diet all play into Marty McNamara's favor over the last 10 months. He has shed 100 pounds.

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Ridgecrest Daily Independent - Ridgecrest, CA

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Posted Sep. 17, 2013 at 10:51 AM

Posted Sep. 17, 2013 at 10:51 AM

A desire to cut down weight, a new drug and a new, balanced diet all play into Marty McNamara's favor over the last 10 months. He has shed 100 pounds.

McNamara, a 57-year-old Caltrans employee, said Friday that he had always had a difficulty with weight throughout his life. A year ago, he weighed in at more than 430 pounds; 10 months later, he dropped 100 pounds.

"I've always had a problem with weight all my life," McNamara said. "I was a 100-pound kindergartner, a 200-pound sixth grader and when I got out of high school I was 344 pounds."

McNamara said there came a point where his blood pressure became a potential problem.Over the course of a two-and-half years discussing different options for losing weight and controlling cholesterol levels with his doctor, McNamara said he was introduced to Qsymia, a new FDA-approved drug.

Other options included heart bypass surgery and taking leptin, a hormone that regulates energy intake and controls appetite, something McNamara decided against doing.

Qsymia is the first drug approved by the FDA for weight loss. It was first approved in July 2012 after it passed through a series of trials.

McNamara said that the drug has been a crucial part in his road to weight loss.

"It's curbed my appetite to where I'm not craving or thinking about food all the time," McNamara said. "I used to love food. I tried different diets and they wouldn't work."

Since being put on the drug, McNamara said his doctor has dropped or cut additional medication to help combat high cholesterol and blood pressure. McNamara also noted he has adjusted his diet to become more healthy.

His job as a Caltrans worker affords him enough activity every day to count as an alternative to exercise.

McNamara said his weight loss has had an positive influence on his health and lifestyle, including lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, along with more confidence.

"I've seen people I know look at me when they walk by be and say 'Marty, is that you?'" McNamara said. "My lifestyle is a whole lot better and I feel much better, especially when rolling out of bed."

McNamara added that he owed part of his weight loss to his doctor, and information provided to him about Qsymia.

"When I started seeing him, it was like 'bam,' and he got my weight and blood pressure in check," McNamara said. "I've gotten myself into a good routine of what I eat and it's been working."

He said that there are financial costs associated with the drug, as health insurance does not cover diet supplements, as opposed to procedures like a bypass surgery.

"Like I tell everyone, it's expensive for the medication but I could go spend $10 to get a fat pill at McDonald's or Burger King and still stay fat," McNamara said. "I don't want to do that."

Page 2 of 3 - FDA approval drew

criticism

While Qsymia is one of two new drugs — the other is Belqiv — to be approved for weight loss by the FDA in more than a decade, the decision to do so has attracted some criticism.

In an Aug. 22 commentary for the British Medical Journal, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, lambasted the U.S.'s top drug regulator for approving a medication that has been rejected by its European counterpart, the European Medicines Agency.

Wolfe notes in his commentary that both drugs "were found by the EMA to be too dangerous to be used for weight loss but are considered by the FDA to be "safe enough" for Americans."

Referring to a Consumer Reports study about the drugs, Wolfe wrote that the drugs do little to help with weight loss in general. Consumer Reports noted that Qsymia reduced weight by only 10 percent over a period of time, while Belqiv would only lose between 3 and 3.7 percent of weight over a year.

Qsymia producer Vivus notes that up to 10 percent of body weight can be lost, especially "when used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity."

However, Wolfe wrote that the FDA's decision to approve Qsymia was questionable.

"When Qsymia was approved in July 2012, the FDA hailed it as another treatment option but decided that a study was needed to clarify the risks of major adverse cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke—but only after it was on the market," Wolfe wrote.

Wolfe noted that the EMA concluded that the drug had more risks associated with it than benefits. Those risks ranged from the possibility of nausea, headaches, and fatigue to more serious risks like heart-valve problems and strokes.

Qsymia's disclaimer notes the potential side effects for when taking the drug, and warns that pregnant women should avoid using it as it leads to increased possibility of birth defects like a cleft lip.

"This is not to say that the EMA is perfect but rather that its recent record on drugs such as these puts the FDA to shame," Wolfe added in his commentary.

Yet the decision to approve Qsymia syncs up with a recent decision to combat rising U.S. obesity rates. The American Medical Association in June declared obesity a disease, potentially paving the way for expanded coverage.

However, the decision has been considered controversial, as has the use of the new FDA-approved drugs aimed at reducing weight, as noted by both Wolfe and Consumer Reports.

"We've long cautioned against taking quick-fix weight-loss drugs like Belqiv, and Qsymia … as well as supplements, because their benefits are usually minimal, and their adverse effects can be troublesome," Consumer Reports noted in its June report. "Instead, skip the pills, and lose weight the safer, tried-and-true way — by eating less and exercising."

Page 3 of 3 - 'Would recommend it to others'

McNamara, the Caltrans worker, noted on Friday that the Qsymia has done him good.

"I haven't seen any side effects," McNamara said. "I would recommend it."

He added that his journey in weight loss isn't over.

"I plan on losing another 50 pounds before this journey is over," McNamara said. He added that he would continue to watch his eating habits, and that there is no quick solution to weight loss.

"I didn't gain this weight over time and it's gong to take time to get rid of it," McNamara said.